JOHN LEWIS, the retailer that symbolises middle-class consumerism, has ensured it will make a positive impact across the whole of Leeds after creating a £125,000 charitable fund for the city.
It will open its Leeds store at Victoria Gate in autumn 2016 but its impact will now be felt earlier after it raised the six-figure sum to fund a dedicated John Lewis Leeds Community Grants Fund. The money was donated by John Lewis suppliers at a gold day.
The fund, which will be run by Leeds Community Foundation, will be dedicated to supporting a range of local good causes, community organisations and charitable projects across the Leeds area.
Sally-Anne Greenfield of Leeds Community Foundation, said: “We were overwhelmed by the support of John Lewis and their suppliers on the golf day and are thrilled to have raised such a significant amount of money.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with an organisation which sees the importance of community engagement in areas where its shops are based. We are excited to open the new Fund early next year and work with John Lewis to support a range of people and have a positive impact on local communities across Leeds.”
Andy Street, managing director of John Lewis, added: “Community work is embedded across every aspect of John Lewis, not just through our Constitution but through Partners helping through a wide range of initiatives including fundraising and volunteering, which forms part of John Lewis’s long-standing objective to engage with local communities.”
